Projectile



JVW. COPE.

PROJEGTILE.

\No Model No 582,982. Patented Maj 18, 18.97;

Q'Xhtmwooa icafljw ilnrrsn STATE Pa entcrate,

JOHN WESLEY' corn, OF PRAIRIE. orrv, ILLINOIS.

PROJ series] SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 582,982, dated May 18, 1897. Application filed Ju1y25, 1896. Serial NBIBOOAQO. (lilo-model.)

To all whonv itmay concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN WESLEY Corn, a

citizen of the United States, residing at Prairie 7 City, in the county of McDonough and State of Illinois, have invented'certain new and use-; ful Improvements in Projectiles; and I do herebydeclare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, suchas will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to makeand use the same.

My invention has relation to projectiles, and comprehends both that form of proj ectileembodying the power of great penetrability and also that form denominated a shell, the latter form having reference tothose forms of projectiles carrying a suificient quantity of' explosive material to efiect their own destruction. r

The object is, first, to provide the projectile with an initial or entering point of great hardness and so: shaped as .to effect an entrance into the object at which it is aimed, and providingby such means for the effective entrance of the body of the-projectile, which latter is formed of a cheaper and less dense material; secondly, to provide a reliable means for igniting and exploding the powder, nitroglycerin, or other destructive material.

A further object in the construction of my invention is to provide laterally reaching or 'spiralxvings and channels for efiecting a rapid rotation of the projectile while in transit,

thus adding pacity.

greatly to its penetrating eain the following description, referring tothe various details of construction involved,ref-' erence being had to the accompanying drawings, made a part of this application, in which- Figure 1 is a perspective view of the out-.

ward appearance of m y improved form of projectile. ,Fig. 2 is a rear endview" thereof,"

All of these features will be clearly set forth I my invention by figures, each figure referring to the same part throughout the several'views.

In materializing my invention I provide the body proper, 1, which is mainly cylindrical, except that its forward end terminates in the form of a truncated cone, providing the seat 3, which is screw-threaded upon its inner end and is adapted to receive the threadedjend 4' end 2 of the body, and when the point is screwed home in the socket provided as above set forth, only a fault line of demarkation will show the point of juncture between the softer metal of the body and .the hardened point or insert. The insert or point 5, formed substantially as above described, is made of very highlyv tempered metal, preferably of what is termed harveyized or nickel steel,'the result being great penetrability for the projectile, as the initial point thus provided will be caused to enter the object at which it is aimed, which point of entrance is followed by the body proper. It is well known in practice that where a projectile formed of acoinparatively soft or yielding metal, such as-cast or wrought iron and the like, is fired against a metallic surface, such form of projectile, instead of eiitering the object, is more often collapsed, disintegrated, or flattened against it, spreading over a large surface and doing little damage.

If the initial or entering point of the projectile can be preserved intact, it is claimed that no flattening of the body proper will take place, but that itwill follow up the advantage secured by the entering point andcanse the hole to be greatly enlarged, providing for the entrance of the entire body into the object, as the particles forming said body are set into vibration by the hardened point. It will of course be understood that the point, formed of hardened metal, may be made in various forms, though it is believed that the shapeabove described will be found to be the most expedient and effective, I do not wish, however, to be confined to any particular form of construction for said point.-

1 In providing a construction which will make m improved projectile what is termed a shell the body proper is form ed in any preferred manner with the internal cone-shaped chamber 9, the apex of the cone being toward the initial or forward end of the projectile.

'In this form of construction for my projectile the hardened point is seated removably in the central bore Said bore reaches fromthe initial point of the projectile diametrically into the apex of the cone shaped chamber. The hardened point is of suflicient diameter to snugly and tightly ..t into this bore, while the inner end 11 of such point or insert is of smaller diameter, and provided with the radial wings. 12, the extreme reach of each exactly coinciding with the bore 10. By this construction it will be seen that said point or insert is adapted to have a longitudinal movement in said here when great pressure is brought to bear on either end. The extreme inner end of the insert 11 terminates in the point 13, which is adapted to take into the seat 14, provided therefor, as shown. The chamber 9, provided, as above set forth, is filled with .nitroglycerin, powder, or' other form of explosive materialywhile the seat 1i carries percussive matter, a'pd it will be seen that when the projectile is forced against the object the insert or hardened point will communicate withthe seat 14 and explode the nate i .form of construction thecurved wings 15 percussive matter therein, followed by the destruction of the shell. t

In orde'rto insure accuracy-of transit for the projectile, I provide upon the tapered end of the body the radial curved arms or wings 15. Said wings are placed upon the inclined face of the tapered point and reach from the extreme end of the tapered point to the body proper. In addition to said radial wings, if desired, spirally-arranged. channels 16 may be provided in the body-proper, the front ends of the channels communicating with the wings, while. their rearends termithe rear face of the body. 3y this will as the projectile passes through the air engage therewith, causing the projectile torotate violently while in transit. It will be understood that the radial channels 16 may be dispensed with and a solidbody only provided, in which case it is, thought that the spiral wings upon the forward end of the projectile will be sufficient to cause its rapid transit for the projectile, I provide the rear guiding arms or wings 17, which are formed of suitable material and are preferably affixcd spirally to the rear end of the guidingshaft 18. Said guiding-shaft is properly seated in'a diametrical bore in the rear end of the projectile, and it will be seen that by arranging the wings 17 at an angle to said guiding-shaft an increased velocity of rotation will be imparted to the projectile. It will of course be understood "that said guiding-wings 17'may be disposed at the same angle occupied by the plane of the shaft in case it is thought unnecessary to reinforce the spirally-disposed wings 15.

In practice it may be found expedient to make certain changes in the details of construction in carrying out my invention, and

while I claim the right to. make such changes as may be suggested by expediency, yet I desire it to be understood that I include in my claims all of the features herein set forth.

In operation it will'be understood that after the projectile is constructed as set forth and the several 'parts thereof duly assembled as described the projectile is inserted in the usual manner in the gun and caused to be discharged, when the atmosphere will engage with the radial. wings 15 17, and the 'resistance thus encountered will cause the positive and violent rotation of the projectile, causing the hardened point thereof to have the power of great penetrability and enable it to provide an initial point of entrance for'the body proper, preventing the softer metal from being flattened by the surfaceof the contacting object.

Believing that the use, advantages, and

construction of uly-improved projectile will be fully comprehended from the foregoing description, considered in connection with.

the accompanying drawings, further reference is deemedunnecessary.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. As an improvement in projectiles the combination with the body provided with a central cavity of spirally-disposed wings secured to the forward end of the body, and

means forv communicating the force of the impact on the forward end to the explosive contained in said cavity, substantially as described and for the purpose. named.

2. As an improvcment'in projectiles the body' 1, provided with a series of spirally-disposed channels; spirally-disposed. wings secured to the tapered end of said body and cooperating with said channels, and additional means for directing and guiding the body,

silbstantially as described and for the purpose named.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature -in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN ESLEY COPE.

\Vi tnesses: JAs. ll. WILsoN,

J. WAL O \V'ILSON. 

